pageant gowns

I consider Miss USA's win in the Miss Universe competition last night to be one small step for woman, one giant leap for pageant-kind: She wore a gown that didn't suck. Among the glitz-bombs, Disney princess wannabes, and prom dress rejects of the other finalists, Olivia Culpo, Miss USA, stood out for taking a serious risk on stage: Girlfriend went sparkle-free. Not only that, but the full swishy skirt and long sleeves on her raspberry Georges Hobeika couture gown must surely be breaking at least two rules of how much skin a contestant much show (though she admittedly made up for it with a seriously plunging neckline). Is it on par with Balenciaga-esque levels of fashion-forwardness? Decidedly not. Is it a seriously far cry from a glorified bedazzled Band-Aid? You better believe it. So let me congratulate you, newly crowned Miss Universe, on an achievement almost no other pageant contestant can claim: You snagged the crown without a single sequin at your aid. And that's major. Photos: Getty Images Entertainment read more